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Yesterday there was the eleventh death in Ft. Myers this year from gunfire. This happened the same day the police were scheduled to give a presentation on the efforts to combat gun violence. No one seems to want to report the race of the victims of these shootings or the perpetrators. Only four of the homicides have been solved but almost all of them are in what is referred to as “the hood”. There is an epidemic nationwide of black on black homicides from firearms. Have the police tempered their presence and investigations out of fear of being called racists? Why has gun crime gone up so dramatically in the last year in Ft. Myers?
We live in a society where you cannot watch TV for an hour without seeing some show involving guns and violence. The video games mostly involve graphic violence. The rap music involves violence. Almost all of the movies involve gun violence. Has society conditioned our youth, and are we now living with kids that are almost sociopathic when it comes to violence? It has become accepted. Years ago, I went to a fourth grade class in a predominantly black neighborhood to speak. I asked them how many of them had actually seen a dead person. Every hand went up. Every one of the kids had been exposed to gun violence and death. We live in one of the most violent times in American history. The kids in the hood think nothing of “popping a cap in yo ass”. The problem in America is not guns. The problem is the glorification of shooting and killing to the point it has become ingrained in our youth.As a criminal defense lawyer, I have noticed a dramatic change in our youth. Violence has become a way of life and carrying a gun commonplace. Increasing the penalties with minimum mandatory sentences hasn’t seemed to work. We need to address the underlying cause of the problem. Guns and gun violence are a symptom of a much deeper underlying problem. Drugs and guns go hand in hand. Many of the shootings may be drug related. Dealing drugs for some is seen as the only way to make a living. With no family structure, no education and no opportunity, for some, it is the only way out. As a society, we need to come together and address the issues of education, poverty and opportunity. We need to treat the cause

Fort Myers and Sarasota Weapon Violation Attorneys Also Serving Bradenton
In the last couple of weeks there have been many gun and drug related arrests in Manatee, Sarasota and Lee Counties .

If you have been arrested in either Manatee County, Sarasota County or Lee County for a weapons violation, do not wait until arraignment. The prosecutor is deciding what charge to file against you right now.

Attorneys Peter Aiken and Sean O’Halloran are both former prosecutors. They know how prosecutors think. You may have a defense, and if it is raised NOW, your case may end before it goes to court.

• It may not have been a weapon (common pocket knife).
• It may not have been concealed.
• It may not legally be a firearm (such as an antique).
• You may not legally be a convicted felon.
• It may not have been brandished or displayed.
• It may not have been used as a weapon.

We have more than 40 years of experience defending weapons charges. Contact us as soon as possible.

Hire a private lawyer now. If you wait until arraignment or wait until a public defender is appointed, you may miss a chance to have your case dismissed or your charges dropped.

Bradenton, Sarasota and Fort Myers Guns and Firearms Attorneys

Our attorneys handle all gun crimes. If you are a convicted felon and you got caught with a firearm, you are facing a return to prison. You could be prosecuted in federal court. There are defenses. You may have been illegally stopped or searched.
If you were charged as a felon in possession of a firearm, you could face a minimum mandatory sentence. You could be sentenced under the 10-20-Life Law.

If you have a domestic violence conviction, you lose certain gun rights and privileges. If you are not a U.S. citizen, a gun charge could result in deportation or exclusion from the United States. Gun charges are serious and we take them seriously.

Contact us online to schedule a free in-person or telephone consultation.